Your Daily Workout

Want Jackie Warner to be a part of your day – everyday?  If so, her 2009 Fitness Wall Calendar can make it happen.

The calendar includes photos and fitness tips from Jackie and select Sky Sport & Spa Trainers.

Published by Village Lighthouse Inc. subsidiary 10% – the calendar comes out in May.  Its cover states you can “Obtain a Hollywood body with tips from superstar fitness celebrity Jackie Warner.”  How’s that for some serious marketing lingo?

Great Cover
The calendar cover shot of Jackie captures her in peak shape.  She looks much leaner on it when contrasted with her appearance in the workout season three episodes.

The Jackie Warner Business Empire
The press release for the calendar provides a nice timeline of Jackie Warner’s previous and current business activities:

Jackie Warner, fitness expert, gym owner, television star and entrepreneur, instills passion into every aspect of her life. From a small town, Midwestern girl to a self-made millionaire by age 22, fitness has always been a part of Jackie’s life. Though her first calling into the professional fitness industry began while working as a writer for Warner Brothers after helping a co-colleague’s life change through diet, counseling and training. She was hooked and decided then to change career direction completely.

Wasting no time, Jackie has revolutionized the fitness industry by being one of the first to offer medical treatments within her multi-discipline wellness center in Beverly Hills called Lift and pioneering the concept of incorporating exercise therapy into traditional medical insurance plans. Jackie’s next endeavor in 2002, Sky Sport & Spa, is the ultimate sports medicine and fitness club in Beverly Hills and the primary location of filming for her hit Bravo show Work Out. Sky Sport & Spa offers members personal training, nutritional counseling, chiropractic care, exercise classes and physical therapy all within a glass-enclosed penthouse space featuring a breathtaking 360-degree view of Los Angeles.

Will She Sell?
The calendar is the most recent product addition to the Jackie Warner brand.  Time will tell if her celebrity status and business acumen will transfer her previous success in fitness services to selling products.

Here’s the word straight from Jackie herself via Mr. Nightlife’s Hollywood on season 3 of Bravo’s Workout:

According to Jackie Warner:

We are right in the middle of filming third season and as usual I have 10 new businesses-haha! I so like jumping on and reading your mail. U keep a smile on my face when things get stressful-so thanks for all of your support-I love it.

Ok-So to answer questions…..3rd Season Workout airs this March, my clothing line will be on my website in one week and it is HOT (I will post my site next week) I am releasing DVD, I have a low sugar protein bar and shake….and sign-ups for SkyLab the lifechange camp will be ready shortly I really believe in what I do and am passionate about wanting to get this country to a better place…mind and body.

Find a few qualities that you love about yourself and work everyday to maximize them…Find a few qualities you dislike and work everyday to minimize them….I swear its that simple and its what I still practice for myself.

Oh-and stop being so self critical-there is soooo much more to beauty than what you see at first glance.

• Good move on the protein bars and shakes, hopefully Jackie Warner’s protein shake recipe transfers well into nutrition bar form.

• As for the DVD’s hopefully she’ll be able to offer something different than her partner Jillian Michaels…

• And with the clothing line – so far its had mixed reviews, but maybe she’s got something new up her sleeve.

Stay tuned…

Want to be a personal fitness trainer with the success of Jackie Warner? Well here’s an interesting parallel from the the Boston Globe.

Seems Nicole Ricci may be the East Coast’s answer to Jackie Warner and Sky Sport & Spa.

The Globe says of Ricci:

“The 34-year-old Ricci’s brand of tough love has made the personal trainer a magnet for South Enders and others bent on shaping up and not afraid to sweat. Like Jackie Warner, the entrepreneurial, no-nonsense star of Bravo’s reality hit “Work Out,” Ricci inspires a fervid devotion in many of her clients. One even calls her “mama.”

In 2004, Ricci moved to Washington Street and opened Saldare Body Spa & Private Fitness , a three-story space with massage , body waxing , facial rooms , and a gym. She works 13-hour days, cramming in a catalog of clients that has, at different times, included the members of Blue Man Group and the entire cast of “Stomp.” She’s worked on Boston Ballet artistic director Mikko Nissinen , professional ice skaters, and dancers. But you don’t have to be famous to score a spot on her exercise mat.”

So if you’re ever in Boston, check out Saldare Body Spa & Private Fitness. Something tells me it’s not going to have the panoramic views of Sky Sport & Spa. But on the bright side you won’t have to pay hundreds of dollars for a personal training session. You can train with Ricci herself for $60.00

Jump to full Boston Globe story here

It’s got all the ingredients for a great show:

Strong & Sexy
It’s reality based, has a strong, sexy lead persona (Jackie Warner), takes place in a cool, hip setting (Sky Sport and Spa) and addresses lifestyle, social issues (gay/lesbian lifestyle, relationship dysfunction, body image, weight loss psychology, and sadly even death and suicide)

Bravo Workout Pulled In Viewers
Bravo brought Workout back for a second season citing in a press release
headlined: BRAVO’S ‘WORK OUT’ FLEXES ITS MUSCLE WITH NEARLY ONE MILLION VIEWERS TUNING INTO TUESDAY NIGHT’S FINALE, A SERIES HIGH FOR THE DOCU-DRAMA HIT.

Season Two: Less Fitness, More?
Season one had solid reviews. So how is the show doing in its second season? Depends on what you’re looking for. My take is season 2 strays too far away from fitness material – but I’ll withhold complete judgment until the season finale…

Here’s some other opinions on the Bravo workout, Jackie Warner and Sky sport & spa crew – season two:

The only issue I had with the show is it focuses less on working out than it does on the dramatic encounters of Warner and the training staff. If I wanted to watch a show about relationship drama, I could choose from countless other reality “dramadies” that dominate the small screen. However, one does not watch “Grey’s Anatomy” primarily for the medical jargon, so perhaps I expected a bit too much on the personal training edge.

Still, “Work Out” is inspiring insofar as its overall message, which is that fit people are happy people. After I caught up on my fair share of re-runs, I was inspired to hit the gym. Although my own local haunt is nothing like Sky Sport & Spa, I still feel like a rockstar on the spin bike! – Mary, West Islip

One of the more entertaining and ‘real,’ series is Bravo’s “Workout.” Centered on SkySport & Spa Gym in Beverly Hills and owner Jackie Warner and her trainers, the show itself plays out like a show within a show.

Yes, it’s entertaining and fun, but you don’t forget for a second that these are real people with real issues and problems just like the rest of us.

– Associated Content

Bravo’s TV show Workout, portrays Jackie Warner and the Skysport Spa trainers working in a unique environment to create “experiences” with clients. (See review)
This is a key strategy for building profitable fitness service business.

The show offers personal trainers clues to how Jackie Warner built her success.

Below are two of the Skysport best practices. How can you apply these “client experience” building examples to build your own personal training business?

1. Connect Nutrition
Providing clients with solid nutrition information is the backbone of the Sky Sport & Spa approach.  The Skysport trainers provide clients with actionable low-glycemic nutrition information.  Jackie Warner’s Protein Shake Recipe is an example.

She simplifies the client’s nutrition while at the same time making them think about her & Skysport every time they have the shake for breakfast.  Do you have a special nutrition recipe will help your clients stay connected to you away from the gym and allows them to pass along to their friends?  Do you have reputable supplements that you can sell to your clients at great prices to compliment your recipes?
2. Exercise With Style
Skysport Spa is an exclusive gym. Everything about it sells style and fashion. How can you incorporate style into your business? How you dress, the materials you provide clients, your website, business cards, how you talk – it all combines to create an impression. What impression are you making on potential clients?

3. Create Symbols
Perhaps you’ve noticed the necklaces the trainers and clients wear at Skysport. They are nothing more than a washer on tastefully knotted leather. But the circle is symbolic and it’s a nice touch that connects the client to the Skysport brand.

In reality, you can go to a hardware store, buy a washer and leather strip for a dime, replicate the leather knot and you’ve got the official Skysport necklace. If you sell them for $25 like Skysport does – you’ll have a nice supplement to your income.

But just in-case you want an original:

THE SKYSPORT TRAINER NECKLACE

This stylish sports necklace is like the ones worn on WORKOUT by the SKY trainers, but only better! Upgraded with premium black leather for better durability, this necklace has an easy slide knot closure for adjustable length. Each piece is hand-made so no two are exactly alike.Approx

Approx. 20″ in length at longest. Designed specifically for SKYSPORT&SPA byFrancoeurncoeurdesignsbymarquis.comis.com.

Price $25.00

Brian “Peeler” got his big break and fitness made it happen. He’s one of the trainers on Bravo’s Workout – a reality (maybe) Docu-drama about Jackie Warner, her girfriend Mimi and building her Skysport spa business.

Flashback a year: Peeler, 27, is a drifter with a dream wallowing in Salisbury, NC. He wants to break into acting but can’t make it happen.

The Charlotte Observer tells the tale:

Peeler grew up in Granite Quarry, just outside Salisbury, and dropped out of East Rowan High in 10th grade. An athlete and certified trainer, he tried working in construction, as a flight attendant and as a model, without much success.

So he sold his stuff and left for California in his beat-up Isuzu, with just enough gas money to get there. He spent his last $20 on a photo to help him get cast as a movie or TV extra, he said.

The casting calls led to few roles. But Peeler made friends, and one told him to capitalize on his trainer experience instead of pining for his dream role. Peeler got a job at a gym and was recruiting customers when he heard about tryouts for the Bravo show.

Peeler said he crashed the audition for kicks. He nailed the gig by being himself. Now he’s on TV, doing what he loves and hoping for his next big break.

“I came out here with nothing, and now my life is so great,” said Peeler, soon to be married.

If you’ve watched the show just ask yourself what Peeler has that you don’t? Really nothing…

1. He had a dream.
2. He took action and risk to pursue it by changing his environment and knocking on doors. (Hey, 70% of anything is just showing up)
3. He used what he knew about (fitness) as a way to get to something he didn’t know about (Acting)

What can personal training do for you?

Having been in fitness for almost two decades I can think of no better time to get into the field.  If you’ve been thinking about taking a leap into fitness services here’s why the water’s fine: 

TREND ONE:  FITNESS PRODUCTS AND SERVICES ARE “ON TREND”  

The Trend Is Your Friend
We’ve all heard about aging baby boomers having a greater need for health and fitness services.  It’s plain common sense that demand for health and fitness services will increase.  Instead of quoting you reams of statistics – just ask yourself who represents the “Ideal Customer” and largest market for personal fitness service companies?

If you said upper middle middle class Americans age 45 - 70 you win. (We’ll call this the Ideal Customer for fitness services)  Now that entire cohort is not made up entirely of baby boomers, but a big chunk is.  That’s major opportunity for fitness entrepreneurs several reasons.

1. MONEY – IC’s (Ideal Customers) have disposable income.  They’re white collar professionals who have reached their peak earning years.  They’ve also benefited from a ten year bull market in stocks that have increased their net wealth. 

Fitness services like personal training are still viewed as luxuries to many (though that perception is changing).  But IC’s have discretionary income that makes fitness service purchasing an affordable luxury.

2. TIME - An increasing number of IC’s have flexible schedules, are semi-retired or have left the work force.  This is priceless to personal trainers who now have access to a larger pool of clients available to hire them during the day.  This allows trainers “normal work hours” instead of the before 9am and after 5pm and weekend hours they are forced to take with clients working typical business hours.

3. PHYSICAL IMPACT – Yes you can take a 25 year old and make a tremendous impact on their health and fitness.  Yet all things being equal, those over the age of 45 have the most to gain by getting fit.  Even more important, your Ideal Customer has THE MOST TO LOSE BY NOT GETTING OR STAYING FIT.

If a 25 year old doesn’t exercise they don’t face the same health risks, physiological decline and obesity risk a 55 year old does.  Again, I can throw out stats on lean muscle tissue loss, metabolic slowdown, bone density etc…  but let’s just trust our common sense. 

4.  Attitude of Prevention
IC’s (Ideal Customers) also embrace and value prevention strategies.  They hire financial professionals to prevent loss of income in their retirement years.  They purchase more insurance of various types to prevent economic disaster.  Typically when taking the mandatory insurance physicals they get wake up calls toward their health. 

This lets them quantify the savings in insurance premiums when their blood chemistry and vitals are in an optimum healthy range.  Connecting health to dollars is data that makes a big impression on an ICs.  It makes them appreciate the financial power of prevention.  And the consequences of not having it.

You Can Make Your Fitness Business Free and Still Get Paid
I remember the first time a client told me I saved him money on his insurance.  He came in smiling and said because we stripped thirty pound off him, which among other benefits got him off beta blockers and cholesterol meds his insurance premium dropped by $5,000.00.  (Not to mention his out of pocket cost of his medications)

I smiled and told him that his savings meant he had just paid for his next 50 sessions.  Not a bad deal – working out 50 times for free.  Everybody wins.

Think About It
I’m sure you can recognize more reasons fitness related products, services and companies will enjoy the support of multiple Social, Physical and Demographic trends.  These trends will certainly drive demand and put big profits in the pockets of those fitness professionals that are able to ride the wave.

Remember, the fitness water is fine.  Build a ship, get a raft or surfboard.  An ocean of Ideal Customers awaits you!

Many personal trainers with advanced experience and skills can get stuck in a rut.  They fall prey to the “do it all” trap.  They run from client to client, workout to workout because the trainer is the business.  When they max out, so does their income.

Breakout Time
To avoid the trap, advanced trainers need an advanced business.  They need to leverage the assets of their skills, experience, track record and client demand into something bigger than themselves.  Here’s the formula to take you there.  It’s the secret all elite personal trainers know.  The numbers in the formula represent assets.

The Magic Formula

1 + 1 = 3

Wait a minute – that goes against traditional thinking.  Doesn’t 1 + 1 = 2 ?  For most people that’s the case.  They see the world in a linear way – work an hour, get paid for an hour.  When you’re an advanced personal trainer your abilities can change the math. 

Intermediate trainers who have a good track record of creating health and fitness results for clients are ready to start fine tuning themselves for rapid growth.  Below is a three step process to attain it.

It’s Important To Know What You Want
Everyone has their own definition of success.  What’s yours?  It’s key to have a clear picture of what you want your personal training business to achieve for you and your lifestyle.  This usually means starting with time and money goals. 

STEP ONE: Define Goals Incrementally
How much money do you want to make?  How much time will you devote to achieving that goal?  I’ve found answering these questions incrementally helps you be realistic and action oriented.  For instance - define your objectives in time increments of “month”, “quarter” and “year”.

*Note – I’m assuming that you are a fitness professional because you enjoy helping people and wish to make a positive difference in their lives.  In my opinion, earning money is a direct result of how much value you provide to clients/customers and your business aptitude and effectiveness in doing so.  Therefore, setting money goals directly correlates to goals for helping people.

Focus Statements
Clearly stating your goals will provide a focus for action and a reference to evaluate your progress.  Try writing the following:

• “By (month – date in 30 days) I will be earning ($$$) per week and working (XXX) hours.”
• “By (Quarters – date in 90, 180 days) I will be earning ($$$) per week and working (XXX) hours.”
• “By (Year – date in 365 days) I will be earning ($$$) per week and working (XXX) hours.”

STEP TWO: Establish The Reality Behind Your Goals
Now you need to determine the mix of clients, price per session and sessions per week needed to achieve your goals.  This is your reality.  So if your monthly goal is to make an extra $500 per week, you need to attach that to reality.  How many new clients do you need at what price per session, and how many sessions per week to make $500?

You can also back into this a number of different ways.  One is starting with the total sessions you need to sell to achieve your goal.  So, if you charge $50 per session, you know you need to conduct another 10 sessions per week to make that $500. 

These sessions can take place in a variety of ways. It can be with 2 new clients working with you 5 times per week.  It can also mean 5 new clients working with you twice a week.  You get the picture.  In future posts I will address frequency of purchase as a way to immediately increase your income without adding new clients…

Remember your Time Factor
If you want to work less hours you will need to charge more per session or find additional ways to increase your income per hour.

STEP THREE: The Action Plan 
This is the how behind your reality.  If you need 3 new clients, working out 3 times per week – what specific actions are you going to take to get those new clients in the next 30 days?  Write it down.  Make it happen.  It’s that simple… 

Most people drawn to personal training as a profession come from three types of backgrounds – an academic based background, experience based backgrounds or a combination of both.

Academic Focused Backgrounds
Typically have a collegiate physical education or sport science related degree.   

Experience Focused Backgrounds
Typically don’t have a collegiate fitness background (though they may or may not have bachelors or advanced college degrees in other areas) but have fitness related experience perhaps from athletics or their own workout and fitness regimen. 

Combination Backgrounds
They have some type of college degree in a fitness related field and direct experience in training for athletics or a high level of personal fitness. 

No Perfect Background
In my opinion, all of the above backgrounds are acceptable starting points for a successful personal training career.  Though, there may be some who disagree with me. (they usually cite attainment of a bachelors degree in a fitness related field as the minimum of acceptable personal training credential.)

I have hired all three backgrounds and found having a masters degree in exercise physiology does not necessarily translate into being a successful personal trainer.  I have also had exceptional trainers on my staff that did not posses college training in an exercise related field.

I advocate all aspiring trainers, no matter their background attain one of the nationally recognized certifications like American Council on Exercise , American College of Sports Medicine , National Strength and Conditioning Association and Aerobics and Fitness Association of America.  Other certifications are reputable as well.  I would research them based on their longevity, curriculum and testing requirements. 

Advice To New Trainers
Anyone getting started in a fresh endeavor is going to have a fundamental learning curve to master.  Beginning trainers need to build an experience base to apply the art and science of fitness development to the art and science of human relations.  Keep the following in mind as a beginning trainer:

Your Money is More Valuable than Your Time
At this point it’s important to invest your time as it’s not worth as much starting out.  Because you don’t have a full client base, you have plenty of extra time – therefore investing it to learn and gain experience is smart.  

Contrast this with an advanced personal trainer who is booked solid. They have a a different situation where time is more valuable than money.  Until that is you, remember investing your time is the way to make it more valuable.

It boggles my mind that people go into debt for years to attain a college degree where they pay the college for the privilege to develop and learn.  Yet, when they enter the work world in which they have no skills, they now expect to be paid to develop their skills, education and experience.  My advice – give many free sessions.  Save your money.  Invest your time.

Shorten Your Learning Curve
Find a personal training mentor.  Find a fitness professional who has achieved what you want and learn from them.  Knowing them personally is best, but if that’s not possible just study what they do from afar.  Breakdown every aspect of their success and start to apply what you learn.

Remember, the person or people you choose to emulate should have what you already want.  If you want to make $100,000.00 per year don’t take advice from someone who makes $50,000.00.  If you want to evolve to the next level of personal trainer, don’t study someone who is on your level.

Work in a Club
This helps you accelerate your learning process.  You want to be in an environment with access to plenty of people to give free training.  Obviously clubs have an ample supply of people all too happy to let you work with them for free.  A nice benefit is these free workouts have a way of evolving into paying clients pretty quickly as your skills develop.  You might also be hired as a personal trainer at a club right off the bat and get paid while you learn.

Be A Fitness Sponge
Learn everything you can about the physiology and psychology of fitness.  Create your own self-study program.  Hang out in the fitness section of book stores, research topics online, subscribe to magazines.

Set Goals
What do you want to achieve and when?  For new personal trainers this usually means how many clients you want to work with.  Create a plan to help you achieve your goals.  It doesn’t matter if you don’t have all the answers.  At this point in your development the key is to start asking smart questions.  Starting a written plan to achieve your goals puts you on the right path.

Being a new personal fitness trainer is an exciting time.  There’s nothing like the enjoyment and satisfaction you get from helping those first few clients achieve their goals.  Getting your first paying client is the stepping stone to everything else.